Tag Archives: Work

In exactly one week from today, my #SCBlaunch will finally come to life. For weeks I’ve been giving you hints on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and yes…even Pinterest! And sure, I may have spilled some of the beans to a few of you already, but for the most part I’ve kept a tight lid on this project. Let me tell you why!

I have a lot of great friends and family whose opinions I value dearly. I feel fortunate that I have people in my life who I can talk to about my goals, my dreams, and my crush on Zac Efron. Mind you my Zac Efron obsession has faded substantially over the last couple of years, but some of the feelings are still there. I mean, look at them abs!

Although I have a number of people I can talk to about this launch, I chose to keep it slightly under wraps because I didn’t want to get thrown too far off course. It’s great when people want to share their opinions and their suggestions with you, but sometimes it can be overwhelming and distracting. When I have too many ideas coming my way, it sometimes makes me spend too much time questioning my original plans, which doesn’t often leave a lot of time for revisions. I’m not saying that I’m so amazeballs I don’t need anyone else’s input, or that I have everything figured out, or that my launch is going to go exactly how I want it to. There will be mistakes, and there will be setbacks. I just feel that leading up to the big reveal I need to steer clear of the white noise so I can focus. Once SCB is revealed and has been out there in the universe for a few weeks, that’s when I’ll start freaking out and start asking, “Does this sound right? Does that look okay? Should I be doing this instead”?

Until then, I have one more week to pull everything together. February 17th is the big day and I can’t wait to share this reveal with you!

Alright, that takes care of the one week part. Onto the one month thing. On March 10th, I shall be turning 28. Now I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal; I mean it’s not a milestone birthday or anything. But still, 28 feels like a big number. I feel like a lot of us have a nice long list of things we’d like to accomplish by the time we’re 30. Marriage, a kid or two, a nice house, a great career, the works! Even though I’m “only” 27 and am technically a “young” woman (depending on who you ask), I can’t help but feel that time is ticking too fast. There are so many things I want to do and for some reason, I keep telling myself I need to do a lot of them within the next two years so I can feel like a successful 30-year-old. But instead of focusing on this imaginary clock I’ve created and watch like a hawk, I’m going to try my best to enjoy the rest of my twenties. No I’m not married yet, but that means I can pick up and move anytime I want. I don’t have any cute little babies running around, but I have the opportunity to explore the world freely as long as my bank account allows for it. Now I’m not saying I’m going to completely give up on the things I set out to do before the big 3-0. I’m just going to spend a bit more time reminding myself that I don’t have to do it all, and that not checking everything off my list doesn’t make me a failure. The one thing I will allow myself to obsess over is this launch! Focusing on this one thing will help everything else fall into place when the time is right.

Since you all have been very supportive these last few weeks, I’ve decided to spill every last bean a couple of days early on Periscope! If you’re getting a little anxious and want the inside scoop before the 17th, join me on Periscope on February 15th at 6:00 p.m. MST – @CharmsJJ. Let’s chat!

I’ve finally decided that Exploration will be my theme this year! I know we’re already 12 days into 2016, but better late than never, right?

Two years ago I started declaring a theme of the year for myself. Last year was The Upgrade, and the year before that was Getting Shit Done. I find giving myself a motivational theme gets me pumped for the year ahead, and helps me narrow down what I’d like to achieve in the next 12 months. I like picking a theme that can be associated with both my personal and professional life, and I think focusing my efforts on exploration will help me move forward this year with both.

Travel

Now who doesn’t want to travel to new places? Last year I went to British Columbia for the first time, and let me tell you, B.C. is a very beautiful province. The mountains, the ocean, and the trees…it’s all breathing taking. I went to Victoria for Social Media Camp, and was lucky enough to have two of my friends meet me there and extend the trip to Vancouver. Side note: the businessmen in the downtown Vancouver area are very dapper. You should go and see them. Like now.

This year I want to travel to a few new places around the globe, and guess what? I already have two trips booked, both starting this month! Tomorrow I’m off to Phoenix, Arizona for Bash Conference. Bash is a 3-day conference where folks in the entertainment industry can come together, form relationships with people in similar fields, and learn from other industry experts. I shall be attending as an event-planning guru, of course. Check back next week for a recap of the conference. Two weeks after I get back, off I go again…to Cancun! I’ve always wanted to go on an all-inclusive trip to Mexico, and I’m excited I finally get to go. For a whole week my friends and I will be sipping on margaritas, splashing around on the beach, and dancing the night away.

Self-exploration

Exploring different parts of the world is awesome, but I think it’s also important to make time self-exploration, whatever that means to you. I’d like to explore different activities that make me feel calm, centered, and well rested. Whether that can be achieved through a specific type of yoga (I do Jillian Michael’s yoga shred and trust me, that’s not relaxing), mediation, or painting, who knows. I’m hoping within a few months I can find something that works. This is going to be an extremely busy year for me and I don’t want to burn myself out before I’ve done at least the majority of what I’d like to accomplish.

Event Planner Extraordinaire

Remember a minute or two ago when I referred to myself as an event-planning guru? Well that’s true. I’ve been a corporate event planner for a few years now, and I’ve planned enough successful events to classify myself as an expert. When you’re in your 20s, the word “expert” is hard to say when you’re talking about you in relation to your profession. I mean, who am I to call myself an expert when I’m only 27, right? If you take anything away from this blog post today, take away this: you are an expert to someone. There’s someone out there who doesn’t do what you do or know what you know, and who could benefit from your knowledge and experience. So you’ve only been a blogger for a year. Yes, there are tons of other bloggers out there who’ve been up and running for seven years, but they don’t have your voice. They don’t have your mind. They don’t have your history. They are not you and even though you might blog about the same topic, they ain’t got yo style, gurl. Or boy. Anyway, even though I’m an expert in my field, there’s always more I can learn, and there’s always something different I can try. A new year means a new slew of events, and I’m looking forward to elevating each and every one.

Sports & Education Dinner

Sports & Education Dinner

Spring Gala

Building Futures Gala

#SCBlaunch

This is the thing that’s going to keep me on my toes this year. I still won’t give you all the deets, but this isn’t a short-term project. At least I hope it won’t be. I’m expecting this to have a very long shelf life but in order for that to happen, I need to make sure I have my shit together this year. Yes I will make mistakes, but I will also learn from those mistakes. I will then continue to make a few more mistakes, but I will continue to learn from those mistakes as well. But then I’ll continue…haha just kidding. You get the picture by now. Even though I know it’s normal not to get everything right the first time around, I’d like to work as hard as I can to minimize the amount setbacks I could have.

Happy New Year! How many days into the year can I stop saying that, anyway?

By now you’ve probably seen me use the hashtag #SCBlaunch on Twitter, Instagram, and yes…even Facebook. More on how I feel about using hashtags on Facebook, later!

On Wednesday February 17th, I’m launching something new and exciting. You may have already guessed what it is, but if you haven’t, not to worry. I’ll be posting more hints along the way so you have plenty of time to figure it out. What I can tell you now is that this upcoming project is something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. Over the last year or so I’ve been struggling with whether or not to take this leap. Am I ready? Do I need more experience? Do I have the time? I asked a lot of friends and family (okay maybe not my whole family, just mama Jennings) what they thought I should do, and although I really did appreciate their advice, this really was a decision I needed to make on my own. I haven’t even launched yet and I can already feel that I’m heading in the right direction, and I couldn’t be more excited.

At the beginning of each year, everyone talks about all the great changes and new ideas that will be filling their New Year. And you know what, 2016 is no exception. I know keeping you guys waiting over five weeks to figure out exactly what my big reveal is seems like a long time. I get it. So how about a little compromise? In the meantime, I’ll introduce you to three great women who are and will be adding awesomeness to the year that is 2016.

Dunja (left) & Laina (right)

Laina Hughes! Laina is a great friend of mine. She’s funny, smart, adorable, and loves cats. In college she published a great book called Wolseley stories; a compilation of stories about her favourite Winnipeg neighbourhood. Last month her and her friend Dunja launched their first issue of Dear Journal, a bi-annual publication that celebrates the culture and lived experiences of past, present, and future women. Yes, I stole that description from the back of the book. I’m extremely proud of what she’s accomplished so far, and I can’t wait to see this publication grow. To learn more about Dear Journal, follow them on Instagram -> @dearjrnl, or email them at dearjrnl@gmail.com to find out how you can get your very own copy!

In 2014, Brittany May launched an online series called Fierce Females. This series features a number of inspiring women who share details about their lives, and their views on feminism and what it means to them. What started as a school project is quickly turning into something amazing. So many great women have been featured so far, and I’m honoured Brittany has selected me as the first Fierce Female of the year. I’m really looking forward to seeing who the rest of her 2016 Fierce Females will be.

Jaclyn (Jackie) Leskiw is another good friend of mine. She’s the perfect mixture of shy and hilarious, but overall she’s just a really talented individual. She’s a photographer fresh on the scene, and an incredible one at that. She has such a unique and captivating style to her photos; every image whether it’s a silhouette or a skyscraper is simply breathtaking. Jackie’s currently finishing up photography school, and will soon be launching her own business. It’s scary to quite your day job and jump into something entirely new, but I haven’t a doubt in my mind that word of her craft is going to spread like wildfire. Here’s hoping I can get myself in front of her lens in the upcoming months. Below is a series of beautiful portraits she shot recently. To see more of her photography, visit her online gallery.

If you have an upcoming project in the works, or a planning a change in career paths, comment below and let’s chat!

As a recent grad working to pay off student loans, I unfortunately don’t have the luxury to live in an apartment with an office in a different room from my bedroom. On and around my desk I have a few essentials such as stationary, basic office supplies, a computer/printer, and my Caps and Spelling. I also have my TV always wanting my attention, a view of my closet filled with clothes asking me which one of them I will put on next, and my bed constantly whispering “I know you miss me; let’s snuggle.” Although I’m usually able to pull myself together and focus when I really need to get things done, there are too many distractions in my room that cause my mind to wander and think about doing other activities. What I need and will one day have, is a home office completely separate from any other room in the house. I know I’m most likely to end up with a home office that has a beautifully crafted yet simple desk, a few live plans, a softly coloured wall (as opposed to the screaming bright purple of my current bedroom), and a few mood boards to give me a boost of inspiration from time to time.

However, I can’t help but dream of one day having an outdoor office as well. In a paradise that’s always sunny. But with a light breeze. With a view of bright blue water. And crushing white waves. One day!